Then I shall come by sea: Qarase
Wednesday August 29, 2007

Deposed PM Laisenia Qarase

Fiji's ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase says he has asked members of his SDL party to arrange for a ship to ferry him to Suva after being denied entry onboard any Air Fiji flights to the capital.

Qarase who has been in exile at his village since being deposed in December last year, told Fijilive he would do his best to be in Suva by Friday to attend his court case against the interim regime.



"I have asked my officials in Suva to secure a place for me in one of the inter-island ferry. Otherwise it's better for me to hire a private boat to transport me to Suva," he said.

Qarase said he was not scared of travelling to Suva but since Air Fiji had refused to fly him over to Suva, other options were available for him to take.

"The courts have decided to let me travel free around Fiji but I don't understand why someone from the military wants to kill me," he said.

Qarase yesterday said he had received a call from someone a soldier who had threatened to kill him if he arrived in Suva.

"The threat against me by a caller yesterday claiming to be from the military does not bother me but since I will be travelling with my family it is important that they get protection."

"I have requested my lawyer (Tevita Fa) to file a police complaint against the military for those threats and it's interesting to see what the police are going to do now," he said.

Military Land Force Commander Colonel Pita Driti reiterated that Qarase is free to travel to Suva and should disregard any threats made against him.

"He should not be scared and just come to Suva because no Fijian can kill another Fijian brother," he said.

Driti added that Qarase was playing with people's emotions by trying to gain sympathy.